Here's my first Klema fic! I've always wanted to write about these two, and the plot for this came up to me weeks ago and simply wouldn't leave me alone. I'm well proud of how it turned out.
"Hey, Ema, it's almost closing time. You mind giving the place a quick sweep?" Charlie, Ema's boss, piped up from the kitchen.
"Yeah, sure." Ema replied. "Katie, start doing inventory now, will ya?" Her small, dark-haired co-worker nodded from her side.
Ema grabbed the broom and walked away from the counter. It was getting late, but as courtesy to their customers they had to wait until every single one had left before they officially closed. And at this moment, there was only one person left. A man with long, blonde hair and a leather jacket who looked to be completely immersed in whatever he was viewing on his laptop.
Ema gripped her broom and stifled a yawn. She wished the man would leave already so they could finally close up and she could go home. The week had been hell for her, and she really needed to catch up on some sleep.
She shrugged and reached into her pocket, taking out a pair of blue earphones. Plopping them in her ears, she played a song and began to sweep, singing along to defeat her boredom.
She tapped her feet as the funky guitar rhythm burst into her ear drums. Pretty soon, she was sweeping all over the place and singing to herself.
"Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick. The one that makes me scream, she said. The one that makes me laugh, she said…"
The lone man in the coffee shop's name was Klavier Gavin. And at the sound of the girl's singing voice, his head shot up. He took a few minutes to re-orientate himself with his surroundings. He'd been too engrossed with reading his latest case file that he'd forgotten how much time had passed already.
He was the only one left in the place.
And the barista that served him his coffee was dancing and singing like a feverish dog in the middle of the room.
Klavier shot a look at the dark-haired girl behind the register, who shot him a knowing smile. He stood up to buy another cup of coffee. Katie was what her name tag said.
"So, um, Katie," he spoke in an alluring, but rather exhausted voice. "Does she—" he pointed a finger at the dancing barista, "—do that a lot?"
Katie's brows disappeared beneath her fringe. "Unfortunately, yes. You get used to it after a while. That'll be four ninety-five."
Klavier paid for his drink, grabbed his coffee and turned back to Ema, leaning against the counter. He watched her with an amused smile.
"Show me how you do it, and I promise you I promise that I'll run away with you…"
Her eyes were closed. She was in her own little world.
Meanwhile, Ema kept on being oblivious to the world outside her. Her footsteps matched the beat of the music and she kept singing along and swinging her hips. It was nice to be able to forget her problems, even just for a while, and pretend that everything was fine.
"You, strange as angels. Dancing in the deepest oceans, twisting in the water you're just like a dream—"
"Isn't that song a bit too old for you, Fraulein?"
"AHHHHH!" Ema jumped back when she opened her eyes to see a pair of soft blue ones probing her face. She gripped the broom with her hands and held it in front of her like a weapon. "Whoever you are, I dare you to come closer! I'm armed!"
Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was only the lone customer with the long blonde hair. And he currently had an eyebrow raised, a small smile played on his lips.
"I don't intend to harm you," he held a palm out. "And you didn't answer my question."
"Anyone ever tell you to mind your own business?" Ema snarked. She didn't mean to come out as rude or anything, but she was just so tired and she really wanted to go home.
Instead, the man chuckled slightly. "Ah, you got me there. Though I hope you'll still satisfy my curiosity. Music is kind of a big part of who I am."
She eyed him strangely. "Err… Yeah. Sure." Why was this man talking to her?
"Let me guess. The Cure, right?"
Ema perked up instantly. "How did you know? Do you like The Cure?"
"Actually, I hate them," the man replied smoothly.
Ema frowned. "You, sir, have horrifying taste in music, then."
The man laughed outright at this. "I sure hope that isn't true, but I'm sure you'll find millions that will testify to the contrary."
Who was this man and why was he so full of himself? Ema thought.
"What do you mean…?" she asked suspiciously.
He shot her a winning smile. "The name's Klavier Gavin. You might have heard of me before," he said, voice oozing with confidence.
Ema's frown deepened. "No, I—wait. Hang on, Klavier Gavin, you say? Prosecutor Klavier Gavin?"
His hands gripped the lapels of his jacket. "Well, that is not what I'm usually known for, but I'll take it all the same. Yes, it is I, the lead singer of The Gavi—"
"You're the prosecutor at the case were Phoenix Wright got disbarred!" Ema gasped.
Klavier's confidence deflated significantly. Now this was an odd thing. How on earth would this girl be involved in his first case?
"Yes. Yes, I am," he said, with less certainty this time. "Is there a problem?"
She looked at him, pure disdain written all over her features. Her frown was set, her lips were pursed, her jaw was hard.
"Get out of my sight." She spun on her heel and stomped back to the kitchen, leaving the prosecutor confused as to what on earth he did wrong.
-O-
Klavier went back to the coffee shop for lunchtime the next day. The dancing barista really took a huge portion of his curiosity, and he found his mind wandering off to her very frequently. The fact that she knew him not because of his rockstar persona but because of his relation to Phoenix Wright of all people intrigued him very much.
Maybe if he kept observing her, he'd find out what was it about her that made her so interesting.
She was stiff as she served him his coffee, and she made it clear that she was not up for any conversation. There were quite a few more people at this hour, but not enough to hold a really long line. So he knew she really didn't want to engage in conversation with him, which was a shame since conversing with her would have made his mission a lot easier.
He took a seat nearest to the counter, so he'd at least still be able to hear her voice when she talked. Her name tag read 'Ema', so at least he knew that.
The front door opened and a view of bright red met him as Apollo Justice went in. A smile was on his face as he stepped towards the counter and waved.
"Apollo!" Ema greeted. "It's good to see you! It's definitely been a while."
"Yeah, I know." Apollo replied and placed his order. He then continued. "This whole week has been hell! Mr. Wright really did push himself to his limits."
Ema froze, and her eyes widened. "Wait—you mean…"
Apollo nodded, smiling. "Yes, I do."
"Mr. Wright… His name… has been cleared?"
"Exactly. He plans on retaking the bar exam soon."
Ema squealed in delight. "Oh my gosh! I'm so happy for him! It's like the world has gone back to its normal order once again."
"Oh, Ema! You should've seen him! He was amazing!"
Ema smiled slyly as she handed him his coffee, as if remembering a distant memory. "I always knew Mr. Wright was amazing. I never… I never doubted him for a second."
Apollo smiled wistfully and glanced at his watch. "Shoot. I have to go now. Trucy's making me take her to this new magic shop around the town and I'm gonna be late."
"You go on ahead, then."
"We still on for Doctor Who marathon on Saturday?"
Ema rolled her eyes. "Of course, you nerd! Since you keep insisting…"
"Hey! You forced me to watch The Steel Samurai with you! It's only fair."
Apollo made one last wave goodbye as before walking out into the chilly autumn air.
Well this has been an interesting turn of events, thought Klavier. He may have to get a word with Justice soon.
-O-
"I have a question, Herr Forehead." Klavier spoke to Apollo when he happened to bump into him in the courtroom lobby, moments before battling head to head with him once again in court.
"Okay, that's new," the defense attorney remarked. "What is it?"
"It's about that girl who works in the coffee shop… Ema, is it?"
Apollo shot him a suspicious look. "Yeah… She's my friend. What about her?"
The prosecutor shrugged. "I'm just curious. How did you know her? What is she like?"
"Well, to be honest, I don't actually know a lot about her. She doesn't talk about herself very much," he tilted his head thoughtfully. "But she's an acquaintance of Mr. Wright's, so if you want to know more, you're probably better off asking him than me."
"Ah, I see."
-O-
"Herr Wright, I have a question to ask."
"Just hang on a minute—wait, what? I'm a bit busy at the moment, Gavin."
"It won't take long."
The spiky-haired man glanced up from the book he was reading. They stood inside the Wright Anything Agency, Klavier wondering how on earth he was going to explain the nature of his question.
"I met this girl in a coffee shop," he started. "And I was intrigued. She had heard of me because of you. And I would very much like to know why that is."
Phoenix rested his elbows on the arms of his chair. "And the name of this girl would be…?"
"Ema."
Recognition lit up in the lawyer's eyes. "Ah. I see."
"Herr Wright, I would really appreciate it if you would tell me about her."
"She's an old friend of mine." At this, his expression turned wistful, and Klavier wondered what exactly happened between those two that caused both of them to transform completely at the mention of each other's names. "She was very young back then. Young and hopeful."
"I still don't understand."
"I defended her sister in the early part of my career," he replied, his tone serious. "It was… not an easy case. For all of us. It changed her completely. And now, seeing her again after seven years, I'm afraid she's changed even more."
Klavier took a step forward. "What do you mean? I don't get it…"
"The details are not mine to give away, Gavin." Phoenix said. Klavier noticed that, without that god awful beanie on his head, he can look very intimidating when he wanted to be. "But I will tell you this: Don't underestimate that girl. She's a smart one, that is. Brave, too. She helped me out in a case once. She's invaluable as an investigative partner."
"Y-you're telling me that that barista is involved in crimes and police matters?" Klavier asked in disbelief. Phoenix nodded.
"I would expect so. Her sister is the former Chief Prosecutor, after all."
Klavier was shocked. Former… Chief… Prosecutor? "Surely you can't mean—"
"Yes, I do. Lana Skye. That girl you're asking about, her name is Ema Skye."
"You mean the Ema Skye from the SL-9 incident?" Klavier had read up a lot on that case as a law student. Never in a million years would he have associated it to the dancing barista he observed the other night.
"The very same one."
The prosecutor was stunned. So that's why she recognized him as such. She was clearly an important friend to Wright, and anything associated to his disbarment caused her deep pain.
"I-I think I have enough information for now," Klavier said. "I'll be going."
Phoenix still had the same wistful expression on his face.
"You know she wanted to be a forensic investigator once?" He heard him say mere seconds before he walked out of the office and shut the door.
-O-
"And how are you today, Fraulein?"
"Oh look, it's the fop with bad taste in music. How may I help you?" Ema replied smoothly, plastering a a fake smile on her face. Klavier stared at her from across the counter.
"For the last time, I do not have bad taste in music! I am the lead singer for The Gavinners, for crying out loud!" he exclaimed. The barista rolled her eyes.
"Never heard of them. Now you better order something, cause you're holding up the queue, or I'm gonna send you straight out."
The prosecutor put a hand to his chest. "Excuse me, but how have you not heard of The Gavinners?"
"I'm sorry. Did I deflate your pompous ego for a second there?" she replied innocently. She then grew serious. "Look, if you're not going to order anything, I suggest you—"
"Tall caramel macchiato, thanks. How have you not heard of The Gavinners?"
Ema punched in his order on the register as he handed her his payment. Seeing as she's got nothing to lose, she decided to tell the truth. "I was abroad. Studying. I just got back to the States recently. I honestly have no idea what sort of stuff people are into now. I just want to work and live peacefully, alright?" She handed him his drink. Her face dropped into a deadpan. "Now leave."
"Fraulein, I do not understand why you are so mad at me. Surely you can't blame me for Wright's disbarment."
Ema took in the edgy prosecutor and considered his statement. Realizing he had a point, she nodded.
"Yeah, you're right." A smug smile appeared on Klavier's face. "But you hate The Cure, so you're definitely a villain in my book. Next!"
"Fraulein, I—"
But Klavier was pushed aside by an old woman behind him, clearly already impatient to get her coffee. Klavier frowned and took a seat from the far end of the room.
He definitely need more information about Ema Skye.
He cringed internally, hoping that thought didn't make him sound like some creepy stalker. Way to go, Gavin, he thought. It wasn't that he was obsessed with her, he was just intrigued. On the exterior, she seemed like a hostile, stick-in-the-mud, workaholic woman but that was far from what he observed of the dancing barista the first time he saw her.
Not to mention, the fact that she was apparently Ema Skye intrigued him all the more.
And if she had studied abroad, then what was she doing in a place like this?
He was going to get to the bottom of it, that's for sure.
-O-
Truth be told, the Prosecutors' Office was actually only walking distance away from the coffee shop at which Ema worked, so Klavier found himself frequenting it in the midst of his busy lifestyle. And the coffee wasn't that bad either.
Paperwork was hell for him at the moment, since he'd just finished wrapping up a case. He decided it was a good time as any to go grab another cup to keep him going.
And maybe chat up with Ema Skye once again.
He entered the shop, only to see that a man was already on the counter, chatting up to her instead. He begrudgingly lined up behind the man, listening in on their conversation.
The man was tall, with ash-colored hair, and clad in a deep magenta suit. He was quite sure he'd never seen him around before, though he did look a bit foreign. Was this another of Ema's friends?
"…It's been so long since we last met!" Ema exclaimed. She was happy. The happiest Klavier had seen her, actually. "Will you be staying here for good this time?"
The man nodded. "I was quite preoccupied overseas with… work." He said the last word as if it brought back many unpleasant memories. "But the office recently called in and offered me a job I simply could not turn down."
"Of course. It's good to have you back, sir!" Ema handed the man his drink, smiling. But when she caught a glimpse of Klavier, her smile dropped instantly. "Oh. It's you again."
Klavier took that as a sign of invitation to their conversation. He stepped up beside the man, eyeing him up. He was decently attractive, though he seemed to be too old for Ema. And was that a cravat on his neck?
Who on earth wore cravats in this day and age?
"I bear no ill will, Fraulein. I am only in need of my caffeine fix."
Cravat Man tucked his change in his wallet and nodded at Ema. "Shall I be going now? I wouldn't want to intrude in your conversation."
"No!—"
"By all means, feel free to do so!" Ema and Klavier spouted at the same time. They looked at each other, she with an annoyed pout on her face, and he with his signature smirk.
Ema relaxed back into a smile and turned again to the man. "The fop here is just being his usually jerky self again. Don't listen to him."
Klavier felt the need to prove himself to the stranger, so he fixed his hair and stood his ground. He held out a hand. "Prosecutor Klavier Gavin here. And you are?"
Cravat Man squinted his eyes and did not shake his hand. His brows furrowed from behind his glasses. "You are aware that your name is German for 'piano', are you not?"
Ema let out a loud snort.
Klavier leaned back and forced himself to smile. "Yes, I am aware. As I am German!"
Cravat Man didn't say anything in reply. In fact, it looked like he was glaring.
Did Ema have a thing for pretentious jerkwads with a degree in condescending glares or something?
Cravat Man glanced at his watch and sighed. "In any case, I shall be taking my leave now. It was good to see you again, Ema."
Ema waved happily. "Good to see you too, sir! Hopefully I'll be seeing you around more often."
"I have a feeling that you will." A knowing smile made its way to Cravat Man's face and it occurred to Klavier that he addressed the remark to both of them. Well, that didn't make sense.
Klavier sincerely hoped he would not see Cravat Man's face ever again.
"Fraulein," he remarked once Cravat Man with a PhD in pompousness had left. "Why do you like that guy? He's a jerk."
A blush appeared on Ema's cheeks. "I-I don't mean anything by it! It's just a silly crush, that's all…" she slapped her hands to her cheeks and frowned. "Wait, why am I even telling you this?"
"Who even wears cravats anymore? The man doesn't have a sense of style."
Ema grabbed a pen off the counter and pointed it at him menacingly. "You say one more word about him and this is going in your throat."
Klavier raised his hands in surrender. "Well I'm sor-ry." He rolled his eyes. "He definitely doesn't seem like all you make him out to be."
She scowled and placed her hands on her hips. And suddenly, as if a light bulb flashed above her head, her mouth widened into a gasp and a smile.
"Hey, um, Klavier?" she asked. "Just out of curiosity, when is the new Chief Prosecutor going to come in to the office?"
Klavier raised a brow. That was certainly an odd question. "Tomorrow. Although he's going to be introduced tonight. Apparently he's some big shot international lawyer or something. Name's 'Edgeworth', I think?"
Ema let out an adorable giggle.
"What's so funny?"
She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. So are you gonna order something or did you just come by to insult me again?"
"I'll have the usual," Klavier replied, taking out his wallet. "And alas, Fraulein, I did not insult you. I insulted the Cravat Man who was talking to you."
"'Cravat Man'?" Ema scoffed. "Surely you've got something better to say for yourself, Piano Guy."
"Ack! Klavier is a perfectly respectable name!"
"Keep telling yourself that, pretty boy."
Klavier was going to whip up a reply, but his ears perked up at 'pretty boy'. The smug smile was back on his face as he leaned over the counter and into Ema's personal space.
"What did you just call me, Fraulein?" He teased. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you think that I'm attractive."
Ema's face reddened at this. "D-don't be so full of yourself!" She all but slammed Klavier's drink on the counter. Klavier trapped her hand on the cup with his own.
"It is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, it is not everyday that I get to hear a compliment from my little Fraulein Barista."
Ema snatched her hand away and frowned. "Out! Get out!"
Klavier leaned back, amusement etched on his features. "I have a question for you too. Why do you like The Cure so much?"
She bowed her head so that her fringe would cover her heated cheeks. She shrugged. "I like British accents."
Klavier nodded. "I see." Cravat Man did, after all, look fairly British.
-O-
The party for the new Chief Prosecutor was in full swing by the time Klavier made it into the Assembly Room. He honestly did not exactly know why a party was required to introduce their new boss, but hey, he's seen weirder things around here.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Prosecutors, please settle down!" A short man, also another prosecutor, called out from the front while he tapped his champagne glass with a fork. "Tonight, we gather for a great man. I am sure you have all heard of him already, but a formal introduction is still necessary. A gifted prosecutor who started out at the young age of 19 and went undefeated for the first four years of his career, he is known as the top prosecutor in America. He traveled abroad and prosecuted in five other countries, took down the leader of a notorious international smuggling ring, and is now back to the States to help with our development of the Jurist System. Please welcome, your new Chief, Miles Edgeworth!"
A round of polite applause erupted across the room as Edgeworth walked up to the stage. Klavier froze.
Of course. Of course his new boss just had to be none other than Cravat Man, PhD. Really. He should have seen that coming.
He wanted to smash his head against a wall.
Cravat Man smiled, clearly not used to the attention, and cleared his throat. "Yes, I trust that you will not give me any trouble? Then I shall do my best to perform my duties as Chief Prosecutor." He said simply and stepped off the stage.
He passed by Klavier, who was staring at him in shock. "You are Ema's friend from the coffee shop, is that right?"
He nodded dumbly in response. "I had no idea you were him. I am—I am speechless."
"Then I look forward to working with you, Prosecutor Gavin," he said politely. Was he imagining things or did there seem to be a hint of a mocking nature behind his tone?
"Err… Yes, of course! Uh… Likewise."
Ema's knowing smile flashed before his eyes as he groaned internally.
He satisfied himself with the thought that at least Cravat Man couldn't possibly beat him in Guitar Hero.
…Or could he?
-O-
"What are you doing here?" Ema cast suspicious eyes on the prosecutor leaning back on the wall of the coffee shop's exterior the moment she stepped out.
"I came to take you home, Fraulein."
"Thanks, but I am perfectly capable of walking home myself." She started to walk away, but Klavier only walked alongside her.
"Are you quite sure about that? You look like you could use some company."
"Well if I needed some company, I surely wouldn't want to get it from a glimmerous fop like you."
Glimmerous fop?
Klavier shook his head, smiling. The things this girl said.
"You have done nothing but wound my ego over the past few days, Fraulein."
"I see you've met your new boss, then."
Klavier cringed. He was quite sure she was never going to let that embarrassment of his live down.
"I admit that he was not the man I thought he was," Klavier started, trying to salvage what was left of his dignity. "However, I still stand by my previous statement that he is a pompous jerk with an impaired fashion sense."
Ema pouted, trying to look angry, but Klavier could see the corners of her lips turn up. "You just wish you looked half as sophisticated as he does."
"Don't be ridiculous, Fraulein. The man looks as if he has a fetish for frilly neckwear."
"Don't talk about Mr. Edgeworth like that!" Ema shouted. "And why are you so hellbent on hating him anyway?"
This made Klavier pause in his tracks. Why did he hate Edgeworth?
He took it as an opportunity to impress her. "I just do not think that he is worthy of a pretty Fraulein's attention."
The streetlights cast a shadow upon her face that made her glow against the moonlight. Her expression, which was previously a bit sour, turned into one of shock. Klavier wondered if she was blushing, since he couldn't know for sure as it was rather dark.
"I-ahh…" she stammered. Klavier found it endearing when she was embarrassed. "In any case, Mr. Edgeworth is smart, respectable, not to mention incredibly handsome! In fact, I know a lot of ladies who'll agree with me on that."
She didn't reply with a snarky comment, at least. Klavier called that progress. He pushed on.
"Are you really sure about that, Fraulein?"
"Yes, I am. I'm the president of his fan club!" Ema replied, obviously joking just to tease the prosecutor.
"Even right now, as you are walking alongside the one and only Klavier Gavin?" As if on cue, three teenage girls approached them, all but knocking into Ema's back, causing her to stumble aside.
"Oh. My. Gosh! It's Klavier Gavin!" Exclaimed the girl with red hair. The three of them squealed at the top of their lungs as they smothered the rockstar with their notebooks and camera phones.
Klavier held his arms out in front of him. "Ladies, settle down. Hand me your notebooks one by one and I'll sign them."
The girls complied with his request as Klavier wrote each of them specialized messages. They would not stop asking him questions, though.
"When are you going to release a new album?"
"I have tickets for your next tour!"
"May I have a picture with you? Oh my god. Clarisse will flip when she finds out about this!"
Ema shook her head and sighed softly. Seeing that Klavier was preoccupied, she spun on her heels and began walking in the direction of her home.
Of course, Klavier did not miss this. He turned and quickly strode over to her, grabbing her gently by the elbow and speaking, "Surely you do not think of me as the type to leave a lady walking alone at night."
She turned back to him. "You looked like you were busy, so I went on ahead."
"Fraulein, I told you I was going to walk you home, didn't I?" He went back to the three girls, who were all openly gaping at Ema. He took pictures with them and once everything was done and over with, he excused himself and walked away, keeping a hand on the small of Ema's back as they walked.
"Well, fop, it seems I was mistaken," Ema said.
"About what?"
"You really are as famous as you say you are."
"I did try to tell you. Countless times, actually."
"And yet you still hate The Cure."
Klavier smiled. "The things you say… You really are something else, Fraulein Skye."
Ema stopped walking.
"…Is something wrong?"
"You called me Fraulein Skye."
"That is your name, is it not?"
She narrowed her eyes. "How did you know my last name?"
Klavier swallowed. Was he not meant to know her last name? "I… may have gone to Herr Wright and asked him about you."
"Are you stalking me?"
"No! Goodness, no!" Klavier shook his head wildly. He was afraid it would come to this. "Because you mentioned Herr Wright's name, and I wanted to know how you were connected to him."
"Oh." Ema relaxed and resumed walking. "What did you find out?" she asked, her voice suddenly grim.
Klavier knew he had to be careful with what he said, lest he risk angering her.
"You… are the same Ema Skye from the SL-9 incident, aren't you?"
She nodded. "Did he tell you about that too?"
"Not directly, no." Klavier mused. "But I did get to read the case file back when I was in law school."
"I… never knew my private life can be revealed to people just like that."
"Th-that's not what I meant." Klavier retorted. "I had to go through many procedures before gaining access to that file! It was simply important to a case that my boss was handling. They don't give it to just anyone, I mean."
To his dismay, Ema sighed heavily. Her shoulders drooped suddenly, making her look several years older.
"When you read that, did you realize that you were reading about an incident that caused so many people immense pain?"
He stayed silent, wanting to hear what she had to say.
She took a deep breath. "And when you found out it was me, did you realize that you have just read about the darkest period of my life?" She laughed derisively. "The girl that serves your coffee, nearly implicated as a murderer! That weird barista you see every once in a while, who was too weak to protect herself that other people had to get harmed to do the protection for her. Laughable, isn't it?"
They stopped walking now. He was facing her, but she avoided his gaze.
"And maybe even this thought crossed your mind," she continued, her voice breaking. "What's the Chief Prosecutor's sister doing working in a coffee shop?"
"Fraulein, I—"
"I don't know!" she yelled at him, bursting into tears. "I don't know, I don't know…" She sobbed, her shoulders shaking as she hunched over. Her palms went up to cover her face.
"Ema!" Klavier didn't know what to do, but he had a feeling that hugging her would just cause her to snap at him, so he settled for a hand on her back, rubbing soothingly as she kept crying.
"Oh god. Oh god, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed a few seconds later. She jumped up and backed away. Hastily, she wiped the tears from her face. "I'm sorry, Klavier. I barely know you and I'm dumping all my problems on you. God, I'm pathetic."
"No, it's quite alright, I—"
"My house is just around the corner," she pointed with her thumb at the direction. "I can walk there by myself, if you don't mind."
"Oh." He tried to keep the disappointment from his face, but he knew that she needed some time alone. "Alright. Goodnight, Fraulein Skye."
Ema gave him a close-lipped smile. He wished her eyes weren't teary and her nose wasn't red. He wished all traces of loneliness to disappear from her features.
"Thanks, by the way," she said softly. "Hopefully I haven't scared you too much. You're actually a pretty good guy."
Klavier carried that voice of hers in his head for the rest of the night and let it lull him to sleep.
-O-
Klavier walked her home every night since then, well at least those nights when he didn't have any work to attend to. But The Gavinners were on hiatus until their next tour and he currently wasn't handling any major cases, so he was still able to make it to the coffee shop come closing time.
Ema didn't know what to make of this recent development. She thought at first that Klavier was rude and arrogant, but as she got to know him she found out that he had his own little charm. Sure, he was still annoying and flirty at times, but he was generally harmless.
And she found herself gradually showing him bits and pieces of her. Normally, she wouldn't dare talk about them so openly, but with Klavier it just felt natural for some reason.
One night, he showed up to the coffee shop and handed her a single white rose. She shot him a questioning gaze, but he only shrugged in response and looked almost embarrassed. He started up an unrelated topic and she let it go.
And that was it. No flirtatious remarks or cheesy pickup lines or even self-absorbed statements. He gave her a rose and that was it.
Oh, and he also smiled sheepishly. And the smile sent butterflies to the pit of her stomach.
She thought of that smile a lot when she was alone, let it probe into her dreams coupled with a pair of soft blue eyes. She pictured it at work whenever she'd get bored or annoyed by a rude customer, and found that it caused her to smile too.
And when the rose started to whither and die, she couldn't find it in herself to throw it away. So she kept inserted it in the pages of her criminology textbook. She'd go back to it a few months later and find that it would be crisp and preserved.
Beauty in life, beauty in death. The thought was very appealing.
That was also when she realized how deeply she had fallen for the prosecutor already, and she feared it would be too late to climb back up.
-O-
The first time she invited him to her house, Klavier was actually shocked. He did not expect to be let in on Ema's private life like that, and he was even hesitant at first to accept it. But he looked at her and saw in her eyes the loneliness she must be feeling and he knew he could never resist anything that she asked for from then on.
The place wasn't big. It was a simple one-bedroom apartment, but it was so distinctly Ema that Klavier could not keep himself from smiling when he entered.
"Sorry for the mess. Would you like anything to drink?" she asked.
"Just a glass of water, Fraulein. Danke."
Klavier stared at the pictures on the wall, all of Ema with an older woman that looked like her, presumably her older sister Lana. Ema looked very happy in all of them, her eyes disappearing because of how big her smile was. He wanted to know if it was possible to get her to smile like that again.
His eyes traveled to a wooden desk pushed back against the wall. There were a handful of books there. He walked closer to inspect them. They were all about science and crime. He smiled to himself. The fraulein has some strange hobbies.
He then looked at the chair in front of the desk. Draped over its back, in a stark white color that immediately grabbed his attention, was a lab coat.
He took it in his hands. The coat appeared to be exactly the size to suit Ema's frame. Wright's words echoed in his mind.
"What are you doing with that?" Ema interrupted his musing when she entered the room. Luckily, she didn't sound mad, just curious.
"You wanted to be a forensic investigator," he stated. "Why don't you?"
Ema sighed and placed the glass of water on the desk. She stood in front of him, arms wrapped around herself. "It's not that easy, Klavier."
"What do you mean? What is stopping you?"
She hid her face behind her fringe. "Many things, actually."
"Why?"
She looked up at him and tried to smile. "We're not all geniuses like you, Mr. I-became-a-prosecutor-before-I-was-legally-allowed-to-drink. Some have it a lot harder than that."
"You're spouting nonsense and you know that," he replied. "Did you study forensics abroad?"
She nodded. "Yes, I did. I went back here so I can keep tabs on Lana, or maybe so she can keep tabs on me… But I failed the qualifying exam and they offered me a job as a homicide detective instead."
"Why didn't you take it?"
"I don't know…" she shook her head. "I was an idiot. Looking back on it, I probably should have. But it was my stupid pride that got in the way and look where I am now!"
"But you can try again, right? You can retake the exam next year. Will you?"
"I don't know. I honestly don't know anything anymore." She sat down on the chair and sucked in a huge breath. "I should be happy now. I mean, I have a job and my boss is nice to me and my co-workers put up with my weirdness, but I'm… I'm miserable." She covered her face in her hands. "I want to be content, but I can't stop feeling like I'm a failure."
Klavier kneeled before her and placed the lab coat over her back.
"Fraulein Skye, look at me." Gently, he pried her hands from her face and brought them to her lap. She gripped his hands to keep him from pulling away and was met with no resistance.
He sought her gaze and was suddenly aware that their faces were only inches away. "There is nothing you cannot do if you set your mind to it." He added a teasing smile. "I should know, since I have two full jobs."
She slapped his arm playfully. His hand missed the warmth of hers so he kept it on her lap, palm turned up. "You always have to make things about you," she smiled fondly. His heart leapt when she placed her hand back on his and he closed in on it immediately. His thumbs traced idle patterns on the backs of her hands.
"Ja, but only because I sincerely believe you can do a lot better than I."
"You can't possibly mean that."
He nodded. "You think too little of yourself. You mustn't give up so easily, Fraulein. If being a forensic scientist is what you really want to do, then I do not think that you should settle for anything else."
She smiled, seeing his point. "I-I'll try." She stared down at their joint hands and blushed.
"Not to mention, you look adorable in a lab coat, Fraulein."
She laughed softly. "I think I know what to do now," she said. "Thanks again for your help, Klavier. I owe you a lot already."
"Think none of it, my little Fraulein. That is just the kind of man I am."
She rolled her eyes. "But for the record, you're still a glimmerous fop."
-O-
The next night, Klavier waited for her by the coffee shop entrance again, but was surprised when Ema appeared from down the street instead. She waved and jogged up to him.
"Knew you'd be here," she remarked. Klavier raised his brows.
"Of course. Where else would I be?" he asked, confused. He thought they'd have established a pattern by now.
Ema closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She clenched her fists and held them to her chest.
"I quit my job."
"You what?"
She opened her eyes and smiled. "I quit my job. I am not a barista anymore." The words still sounded strange to her ears, but she was quickly getting used to them. "Like you said, I have to move on. I have to try."
They crossed the street and sat down on the sidewalk, staring at the dim lights from within the coffee shop windows. A cool breeze went past the two of them. Klavier took off his jacket and placed it on Ema's shoulders, who inhaled deeply wrapped it tighter around herself.
"You should've seen me when I was a kid," she said. "All happy and excited and stuff. I had so many big dreams back then."
"As you do now," he quipped. "You are doing the right thing, Fraulein."
"I sure hope so, or I'd have no way of paying the bills," she joked. "Lucky that I have you, eh?" She said as she elbowed him.
He looked down on her fondly. She had on a big smile, the biggest smile he'd ever seen on her. It wasn't quite like the ones she had on her child photos, but it was pretty damn close.
"You speak as if I have it easy myself," he replied. "You are forgetting, Fraulein, that my brother is in prison for murder at the moment."
The smile on her face dissipated. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive."
"I understand, Ema." The lights from inside the coffee shop were disappearing now, leaving them in darkness save for the streetlights and the natural light of the moon. "You have to understand that I, too, have made a lot of mistakes. And the misfortunes that happened to me are all a result of my own ignorance."
It was Ema's turn to be the listening ear now. She leaned into his side, hugging his jacket tightly around her.
"You look up to your sister a lot, and with good reason, too. She is a remarkable and selfless woman. I used to think the same of Kristoph. I blindly followed him all my life and suddenly, every single perception I have built on him have gone, and now I am left as lost as ever."
She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's funny, isn't it?"
"What is?" Klavier failed to see the humor in their current situation.
"You're a lawyer-slash-rockstar. I studied in Europe and failed to get my dream job, so I became a barista. We've more or less ended up with the same fate."
"Ja. You have a point there." He smiled once again, a thoughtful one. "Who would've thought?"
"I don't want us to be sad," she said. "Is that okay?"
"Of course, Fraulein."
She giggled softly. The sound made Klavier's heart pound inside his chest.
She sat up straight and turned to face him. "I'm glad I met you, Klavier." She leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek.
There was a huge giddy smile on her face now, even as her cheeks reddened and she tried to hide her face with her hair again.
He placed a hand on her cheek, but she was still avoiding his gaze. He pressed his lips to her forehead.
"And you are the best thing to ever happen to me, Ema Skye."
She looked up at him. "Huh?"
He sealed her mouth with a soft kiss, his lips gliding over hers smoothly, sending her mind reeling and making her feel dizzy.
He pulled back, taking in her half lidded eyes and dreamy gaze. He chuckled. "Knew you'd fall for me eventually."
She frowned. "You just had to ruin the moment there, didn't you?"
His arms came to wrap around her as he shook with laughter. "There's no need to be ashamed, Fraulein. Women always find me dashing and charming."
"I find you neither dashing nor charming, so you better rethink that."
He kissed her again. "The things you say, Fraulein…"
"Yeah, yeah." She let out a yawn. "I'm sleepy. And I still have to go look for a job tomorrow."
"Oh yes, about that. What do you do from here on out?"
She shrugged. "I was kinda thinking I'd take up on that detective offer, at least until I can retake the forensics exam. That is, if they're still willing to have me…"
"They will if I have anything to say about it."
She leaned back, panic written all over her features. "Wait. If I become a detective, you're going to be my boss!"
"Only if we happen to be assigned on cases together, yes."
"Oh god. Is it still too late for me to beg for my barista job back?"
Klavier placed a hand to his heart. "Fraulein Skye, you're hurting my feelings!"
"Oh don't be such a wimp. Of course I was kidding."
"Ah, that's good then." He hugged her closer to him. "It would be a pleasure to work with you, Fraulein Skye."
Ema hesitated for a long time before replying.
"Likewise."
In case anyone is wondering, the song that Ema was singing along to is Just Like Heaven by The Cure, definitely one of my favorites.